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Jilpserviceinc - I love this knife. Those clean and utilitarian lines are what I strive for. Can you please weight the knife and the chain? This will give us an idea of the upper limit of metal "efficiency" in this type of knife and proccess.

I"m not sure about the constant speed thing, but I AM sure that it's important to control the air - Not by choking the flow, but by bleeding it out. Choking makes the motor run slower. This is missleading. In fact, it strains, consumes more current and heats. If you bleed the excess air out (hence, less air to the forge), the motor has less wear.

I have a side blast forge, shaped like a canal (trench?). The air opening is somewhat above the bottom. Obviously, heat an fire rises. So when a piece of coal is BELOW the opening level, it stops burning. Usually, the it's the smaller pieces that sink. The result is that small bits of coal (about rice size) get accumulated in the forge, and fill it all. Air cant get through, and it's just bad. I can sift and trash it, but it's a waste of good (and expensive) coal. Is there a way to avoid or handle this situation?

I have a variation of it - the air hose has a variable opening ("throtle"?) near me. When it's open, it bleeds air out of the system. That's how I regulate air flow to the forge (in addition to a variable speed control). So, at a certain opening, and speed setting, I have an "idle" working. But when I block the opening with my hand, there is a boost of air. Sort of your "dead man switch". I can block the opening when the iron is in the fire ("boost" mode). I can leave it there on "idle" burn. I can set the intensity of the "idle" and the "boost" as I wish.

I"m an engineer in my 50's. Over analizing is my thing (too?), so I have been where you"re now, and I can only advise you to pick a hammer and go forge a blade. The short experience will teach you WAY more that reading and analizing. At least regarding this issue. You already recognized the wide range of parameters and values (and interactions) involved. Formulating it, to a remotely reasonable accuracy, is futile.

So, I"m the OP from 2 months ago. I was looking for an idea, and got plenty. Most where simple and elegant. But did I listen or think? NO. I had to be an ass and go for an unnecessarily elaborate design. Not suited for my equipment and skill. Anyway, this is it. It's functional. It took alot of work, but is does not make me proud.

I plan to make a san-mai knife, with wrought iron clad. How do you suggest I finish/treat it for good aesthetics?

Both knives you"ve made are hunting/fighting. I DO see the appeal of that type, but I think that after a while, these tend to collect dust in the drawer. So I suggest your next blade will be for the kitchen. Beside being an actualy usfull tool, it can be a little give back to the wife (if she's into cooking).

I hear that when different metals touch. they corrode. Is there a problem with brass furnitures and pins on a carbon steel blade?

Meridianfrost - Very nice piece! Let alone that it's your first. After going through pretty much the same process and material, I can appreciate you getting very straight and parallel layers. I got them staggered and mixed, so your hammer work is good. I dont understans this. After you fold, you draw out the bilet (for the next fold) and it gets wider. Dont you hammer it on the "narrow" side to compensate for that? Why do you have thinning problem?

The very first time I swang a forging hammer, I randomly banged on steel, and it turned out a knife. And a good one, I still use. No permanent damage done. I say - Let them scratch that itch. They can make a blacksmith knife or some other simple project. It's as good a practice as any, and more satisfiying than another per of tongs.

I can't get a reverse twist to be nice like in the attached photo (Took it from a post by AUSHIN. hope it's ok to use it). The circle marks the point where the twist changes direction. How do you get this turn to be short and sharp like in this photo ? When I got to the second twist, I tried holding the bar (at that point) with a wrench, but obviously, the width of the wrench was a problem. I made a special wrench that was thin. but it dug into the soft bar. What's the trick?

I hear that ash is a good fertilizer (I wonder about scale). This would make a nice synergy between the forge and it's garden.

"A short way that takes a long time". LOVE the subtle poetic way of phrasing. So russian And a beautifull garden!

Thank you Frosty AND JHCC!

Paulgatx - I too was inspired by FIF to get into a new hobby. KUDUS for that. BUT I think the same could be achieved while making a more honest/"real"/prossetional show.

You might be onto something. Trying to forge pancrias was a miserable failure.

Thanks Joel. Looks nice and smart design. I think I"ll try something like this, but forged out of a solid piece. Perhaps draw the ends into short vines. Great inspiration!

I like epoxy in my handles (hidden tangs). First for keeping moisture out. I found that even a tiny gap will retain enough water to create a major rust issue. Another reason is to strengthen the wood - being pretty, it may not be strong, or the grains may not run straight and lengthwise. The epoxy and the tang greatly strengthen the handle.

She's a leading scientist in a medical research regarding diabetes. I dont see how I can do a theme, as a card holder is very small, and my skills limited. But i"m open to ideas. No worries here. So far I"m painfully not laden with (any) requests. But if there will be, I"ll be honored and happy to provide.

The wife got a promotion, and with it her first business cards. She's very happy and proud about it, so I thought I"ll forge her a desk top business cards holder. I"m looking for design ideas, as currently I"m blank. Thanks,

OH Glenn, WHY did you go there? The only reward I got from my customer (AKA "family") was the aknwolegment that the left opener "looks solid". On the bright side, it's more than the usual "oooh.k.".... There is a common agreement (which I share) that practice is a key to improvement. But I think we need to make a distinction between two types: There is the simple repetition of the same task. The first time I twisted the leaves they faced opposite ways. A mistake I wont repeat the second time. Repetitions obviously do improve performance (as any trained monkey will tell you ). Then there is the more general experience. At least in my eyes, true skill is the ability to handle a new task. This includes not only the basic skills (hammer work, shaping ect.), but also understanding the metal, heat management and planing the process. So I think I should revise my original question, and have the measurment of work time be specific to a "first time". These words should be made the logo of IFI !!! certainly represent EXACTLY what blacksmithing is for me. Thank you ThorsHammer82.

I"m not happy with how long it takes me to make things. My time at the forge totals 50-100 hour, and most things I do - I do for the first time. So experience wise, I"m not a total newbie, but... what? ("advanced beginner"?) I made these 2 bottle openers from 12mm square bar. Total work time 2-1/2 hours. There are several basic blacksmithing operations - drawing, twisting, bending, grinding and of course - leaf making. Work quality - mediocre. How would you evaluate the work time it took? or the time it would take a seasoned blacksmith? BTW - I"m ashamed I"m not creative enough, so I copied design ideas from works published here. Can"t remember who deserves the credit. sorry.

I would be very interested both in hardness testing and in material identification, thou these are very different things. As for hardness testing technology - there is a device that is based on measuring the bounce of a small steel ball off the sample. It's very fast and rasonably accurate. But very expensive. For my needs, a deviation of +/-1 HRC unit is accurate anough.